Obituary—Professor Dr. Jef Vandenberghe

A message from Zhisheng An:

It was with much sadness that I learned of the passing of our dear colleague, Professor Jef Vandenberghe, the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Quaternary and an esteemed professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, in December 2025. Please accept my heartfelt condolences and extend them to his family.

He assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief of Quaternary in 2020, providing exemplary leadership that shaped the journal's trajectory. With great generosity, he imparted his deep wisdom through guiding the Editorial Board and mentoring generations of researchers. Professor Vandenberghe was a cornerstone of the journal; his visionary stewardship was instrumental in guiding Quaternary through significant milestones.

Professor Vandenberghe first visited China in 1991, marking the beginning of a collaboration that would span more than three decades and blossom into a deep and enduring friendship with me. Professor Vandenberghe is an internationally distinguished quaternary scientist and sedimentologist. His research on loess, river terrace development, and sedimentary archives significantly advanced our understanding of the links between climate variability, surface processes, and long-term environmental change. These contributions remain foundational to quaternary science and have greatly promoted its global development.

Over the past thirty-plus years of cooperation, Professor Vandenberghe traveled to China many times, while I sent numerous students to work with him in the Netherlands. Through these exchanges, he helped train a generation of outstanding Chinese scholars.

The loss of Professor Jef Vandenberghe is an immense blow to the international quaternary community. We have not only lost a distinguished scientist, but also a cherished friend, colleague, and partner. He will live forever in our hearts.

Zhisheng An and the Quaternary Editorial Office